A Simple Idea

In 2010, we launched the Hawaiian Ola Beverage Company with a simple idea: make products that support Hawaii’s environment and economy by empowering local farmers producing organic, responsibly grown crops.

Inspiration

Inspiration for the project came from the southern coast of Hawaii Island where our team lives and grows food, off-grid.

Noni trees thrive in the local landscape, where recent lava flows left the land rocky and exposed. Apart from being resilient, Noni is known for its many health benefits and a long history in traditional Hawaiian medicine.

Growing Noni, naturally aligned with our values and philosophy around farming; so we aimed to create a market to grow more of it—and it worked.

Growing Up Fast

After launching the original Noni Energy shot, and later, a caffeine-free companion, we created the sparkling Noni can line, which hit stores in four flavors in 2014.

Last year we created a new line of non-caffeinated turmeric drinks. And now, in July, we’re set to release a new tea line—brewed from coffee leaf tea, grown locally, on the Kona coast.

Good to Great

Hawaiian Ola now has 34 product SKUs and since our launch, has grown 100% year-over-year. Our products are carried by Whole Foods, Safeway, Longs, 7-Eleven, and most grocery stores in Hawaii—we're also distributed on the mainland by UNFI.

Something New

Now we’d like to take everything we’ve learned from tropical fruits and teas and bring that experience to the world of craft cider, by launching a processing facility on Hawaii Island under a new brand: Hawaii Cider Co.

Hawai'i Cider

We see opportunity in opening a new operation in the wine & beer space, which is 10X larger than the energy market.

There are now 18 million cider drinkers in the U.S., compared to fewer than 5 million just 4 years ago—last year they generated over $1 billion in retail sales.

Our plan is to create Hawaii’s first locally produced cider, made from organic, responsibly-grown tropical fruits.

Farm to Tap

We have relationships with farmers who love our plan and are ready to grow all the fruit we need. But, in order to turn fruit into cider, we’ll need a processing facility.

Hawai'i Processing

Currently there are no processing locations in the state able to meet our production needs in an organically certified, large-scale facility.

The alternative is to bottle on the mainland, but as we’ve experienced first hand, that option is costly, both economically and for the environment.

Our Solution

Open a facility of our own on the Big Island.

The facility would not only allow Hawaii Cider Co. to begin making cider locally, it would provide valuable co-packing opportunities for other like-minded companies, and of course, provide a place to produce drinks made by Hawaiian Ola Beverage Co.

The facility will also create new local jobs and valuable Hawaii exports for mainland and international buyers.

Busy Bees

So far, the project is off to a great start. We’ve already secured a perfect location—a 10 thousand square-foot warehouse close to downtown, in Kailua-Kona. The site is big enough to house lots of equipment, cold storage, and even a tasting room!

We’ve also raised capital to purchase some key equipment, which is already on its way—including a brew house, fermentation tanks, and plenty of kegs.

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Let's Brew!

What we need now is start-up capital to pay for our first year’s operations, construction, and a few additional pieces of equipment. This will allow us to open the facility in time to have first brews come off the line in December 2016.

Be a part of supporting Hawaii’s local farming economy by launching the state’s first tropical cider company. Invest in Hawaii Cider Co now, and help us open the organic facility we need to make it happen, this year!